March Madness
Well, it’s that time of year again for college basketball. Soon 64 teams will be hitting the court and only one will be victorious. Many of us will be glued to the television either watching the games live or just the ones we recorded on our DVR.
The most exciting games are the ones that come down to the last second shot. The crowd on their feet screaming, the shot clock winding down, the best players in foul trouble, adrenaline rushing through our bodies. I can’t help but get a little excited just thinking about the scenario.
It’s in those moments when the camera pans to the coach on the sidelines and all he can do is pace back and forth speaking encouragement to his team and maybe chew on a towel if he had one handy. The opposing team puts the shot up with time running out but misses. His team gets the rebound and begin heading down the court. This is when the coach yells at his team, with his hands doing the motion, “slow down!”… “be patient!"... "wait!"...
Wow! I love games like that. When I think of these scenarios, I often think of our lives out on the court and Jesus as our coach saying, “slow down”, “be patient”, “don’t rush”. Many times in our lives we have a tendency to out run God with something he’s leading us to do. We can’t help but get excited and the adrenaline starts to rush and we begin to just take off. All the while He’s giving us encouragement and then begins to say, “slow down”, “be patient”, “don’t rush”.
It’s easy to do isn’t it? It’s so easy to just take off ahead of God. Before you know it, you’re doing it all on your own, running and gunning, and God is shut out on the sidelines. Instead of being able to hear Him yell out the game plan, all you hear is the roar of the crowd and the chanting of your name ringing in your ears. It's now all on you to win the game, or so you think.
The next time the Lord leads you to do something, be aware of when to slow down and be patient. Don’t rush it and wait for the opportunity to present itself. When the open lane is there, take it. The obstacles will move out of the way if you slow down, be patient and don’t rush.
The most exciting games are the ones that come down to the last second shot. The crowd on their feet screaming, the shot clock winding down, the best players in foul trouble, adrenaline rushing through our bodies. I can’t help but get a little excited just thinking about the scenario.
It’s in those moments when the camera pans to the coach on the sidelines and all he can do is pace back and forth speaking encouragement to his team and maybe chew on a towel if he had one handy. The opposing team puts the shot up with time running out but misses. His team gets the rebound and begin heading down the court. This is when the coach yells at his team, with his hands doing the motion, “slow down!”… “be patient!"... "wait!"...
Wow! I love games like that. When I think of these scenarios, I often think of our lives out on the court and Jesus as our coach saying, “slow down”, “be patient”, “don’t rush”. Many times in our lives we have a tendency to out run God with something he’s leading us to do. We can’t help but get excited and the adrenaline starts to rush and we begin to just take off. All the while He’s giving us encouragement and then begins to say, “slow down”, “be patient”, “don’t rush”.
It’s easy to do isn’t it? It’s so easy to just take off ahead of God. Before you know it, you’re doing it all on your own, running and gunning, and God is shut out on the sidelines. Instead of being able to hear Him yell out the game plan, all you hear is the roar of the crowd and the chanting of your name ringing in your ears. It's now all on you to win the game, or so you think.
The next time the Lord leads you to do something, be aware of when to slow down and be patient. Don’t rush it and wait for the opportunity to present itself. When the open lane is there, take it. The obstacles will move out of the way if you slow down, be patient and don’t rush.
Ephesians 4:1-2
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love